The Village Named Bethlehem (Chapter Two)(Gordon B. Robey) CHAPTER TWO


One moment they where in Heaven, and the next moment there were trees and a road. Mary watched a Jeepney pass in a cloud of dust, as she put her hand over her mouth. “We’re in my country Lord. This is the Philippines”. She looked around in wonder, excited to be back again.

Both Mary and Jesus were still dressed in their long white gowns. They had appeared as if from nowhere. Mary looked around to see if anyone was out enjoying the warm sunshine, that could have seen them but there was no one in sight.

They began to walk along the side of the dusty road. After a while they saw up ahead, a large tree with wide branches that spread almost to the other side of the road. “That is a nice place to shelter from the sun”, Jesus said pointing up ahead. ”We will rest there, and change our clothes”

As he said this both their clothes changed. Jesus now wore a white long sleeved shirt, and white baggy trousers. And Mary a white blouse with matching skirt. They carried on walking until they came to the tree. As they stepped over the drainage ditch, they saw a bench beneath the tree. It looked to be almost as old as the tree it’s self.

So they went and sat down ‘This is nice and cool” Mary said with a sigh. Jesus didn’t reply, He had seen an old woman hobbling down the track towards them, using a stick like crutch. She was coming from the tin huts that he could see behind her.

As she came closer Jesus saw that her left leg was shorter than the right one.“What are you doing on my property? Don’t you know this is Private Property? She pointed to the sign that they hadn’t seen.
“Sorry” Mary said “But we were both tired, we have come along way, and we didn’t mean to intrude".

“Woman why are you so upset”? Jesus asked in a soft voice “We don’t mean you any harm”. “Oh”, the old woman said eyeing them suspiciously. “That’s what they all say, and the next minute all that you own as disappeared”

Smiling Jesus got to his feet and said “My name is Jesus and the young ladies name is Mary” Mary also stood and smiled at the woman, who was still not convinced that they were harmless “You’re are not from these parts” She said “You’re strangers to me, and I don’t trust people that I don’t know”.

“We are not here to rob you old lady” Jesus said “I give you my word” He looked at Mary and smiled before continuing “Your name is Martha, is it not”? He asked, and saw the slight nod of her head “So now we are no longer strangers” The smile spread across his face, as he saw the look that she gave him.

Martha looked at Jesus in surprise “How do you know my name? I’ve have never met you before. I always remember faces”
And then she thought ‘They are both wearing white, so they could be Priests from the Church’. She looked at them both in turn, and then she smiled “I think you’re Priests. What church do you come from”? Jesus was also smiling when he replied “We are Priests of a sort Martha, but not ones that you know of”.

Martha sat down beside Mary, and leaned her crutch against the tree. “So your name is Jesus, and you are Mary” She said looking at them both in turn “Like our Jesus and Mary, in the Bible? It’s a pity that you’re not him. Now that would really be something”.

She looked up at the sky, making the sign of the cross “I’ve been praying every day for years to the Lord, Father. Asking him for his help, this is a time of great poverty in our country. I hope that one day things will change”.

‘Why does she should take on the worries of others’ Jesus thought to him self “Forgive me for going on so Father. Oh, I hope you don’t mind me calling you Father do you”? Jesus smiled, he liked this woman. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind “Feel free to do so Martha, I don’t mind in the least” He replied.

“Could we get a cold drink from your village, Martha” Mary asked, looking at the elder woman. She too liked Martha. In fact Jesus saw now that they knew each other, they would be good friends as long as they where in this village. “Come with me, I have orange powder somewhere. I’m not that poor that I can’t give two strangers a drink, and Priests at that”

Jesus and Mary followed Martha up the track. As they came to the village of many huts, Martha said “This is our village Father. We named it Bethlehem to remember the birth of our lord Jesus” Jesus looked around. Smiling as he saw the houses and huts spread out among the trees “I will show you what we have, then you will understand”, Martha said in a proud voice.

They followed her across the dirt square, until they stood before the Statue of Jesus Christ and a smaller one of the Virgin Mary.
It was evident that they were very well looked after, and they had both been newly painted.

For a moment no words were needed, for what each of them was thinking. Then Martha looked at Jesus “This is the Jesus that we pray to every day of our lives, Father. But I think the lord as forgotten us” she sighed “I’ll make you that orange I promised you” She said turning from the Statues.

Mary looked at Jesus and then went to catch up with Martha. As they came to the steps leading up to her house, Mary reached out to help the older woman. But she pulled her arm away “I can manage on my own thank you, I am not an invalid yet” She glared at Mary, who said “I know you’re not Martha, but it’s nice to help others, don’t you think”?

When Martha came out with the drinks, she set the tray down on a small table then sat on one of the remaining seats. She smiled as Mary poured the drinks into the three glasses. As she sat down Martha said “Thank you my dear, it’s nice to see respect for your elders. More than I can say for some”.

Jesus was only half listening. He looked at Martha for a few moments. He knew that she was worried about something. He could see it in her eyes. So he said “Martha please don’t be offended that I ask you this. How long has your leg been shorter than the other”? Jesus asked this in a very soft voice.


“I been like this since I was born, Father” She replied “That’s why sometimes I ask the Lord to make it better, so that I can walk the same as everyone else. But of course that can’t happen. But it would be nice”.

Smiling Jesus asked “And if your leg were to be made better, what would you do” Martha looked at the man who called himself Jesus, and said with a sad smile “I would get down on my knees and thank God for a Miracle, for that’s what it would be. But Father Miracles don’t happen like that. I think you have to earn them, with prayers”

Slowly Jesus stood up and looked down at the unselfish woman “In all those years you didn’t lose your faith Martha. God is always listening to the believers, and he as heard your prayers. That is why I am here. God has sent me to give you the help that you cry out for”.

Saying this Jesus said “Close your eyes Martha, and ask God to make you well again” Martha looked at Jesus, wondering what she should do. Was he playing a game with her? She looked into his blue twinkling eyes, and saw the beautiful smile on his face. No he wasn’t playing a game, she knew that now.

She closed her eyes, knowing that he still watched her. She prayed as she had done nearly all her life. As she finished, still with her eyes closed she made the sign of the cross. Suddenly she felt a warm feeling pass through her body. A feeling she had never experienced before in her life, as if she were floating somewhere above the clouds.

“Now open your eyes Martha, and see the Miracle that you asked for” Martha listened to the soft voice of Jesus, But when she opened her eyes, she didn’t feel any different. “Father Jesus, I don’t know what you are playing at, but nothing has happened” She said as she blinked her eyes. She looked at him and then at Mary, who had a beautiful smile on her face. She wondered why? Both Jesus and Mary lowered their eyes, looking down “Look at you legs Martha” Mary said in surprise “Are they not the same”? She finished her voice almost a whisper.

“Oh my god” Martha answered in awe. Slowly she pushed herself up from her seat. Standing a little unsteady, she took a step forward, and then another “Both my legs are the same” She whispered “A Miracle…it’s a Miracle” As she went to her knees tears ran down her cheeks. As she prayed, she seemed to have forgotten all about Jesus and Mary.

When she had finished praying, Martha again made the sign of the cross then got to her feet and lowered herself back into the seat. “All these years I’ve prayed for this to happen, Father. And then you come to this village, and suddenly I’m cured” She looked at Jesus. She felt scared. Her heart was beating faster than it should. Suddenly a wonderful feeling came over her, as she returned his smile “It was a Miracle wasn’t it Father”?

Try as she might, Martha couldn’t take her eyes from Jesus. ‘He said that he had been sent by God to help me. Would God ask a Priest to come to me, an old woman nearly at the end of her life, what reason could he have for doing such a thing’? All these thoughts were going around in Martha’s mind, until she didn’t what to think for the best.

She seemed to be hearing a kind of soft music in her head, as Jesus answered her “Martha, I have heard your prayers, and I know that you are a true believer in me. This is my reward to you, for such devotion to me”.

“Lord Jesus, is it really you”? Martha whispered “Why did you come to me of all people. I’m just an old woman at the end of my days” Jesus glanced at Mary smiling at the look on her face, before saying “Do not tell anyone what as happened Martha. Let it be a surprise to them. I will tell you when the time is right”.

Mary, who had remained silent all the time Jesus and Martha, had talked in soft voices. Saw the surprise and belief on Martha’s face, as she said “I believe who you are Lord, I will do as you say”.
Now Jesus sat back, smiling, as he looked around “This is a nice village that you have Martha, I am glad that my Father sent me to you”.

He looked around at all the houses, and the fruit trees. Which were not yet in bloom, but he would change all that later. “This is your village Lord Jesus. That’s why we named it Bethlehem to remember your birth. My husband and I were the first to come here. We both believed in the Lord Jesus so much, that we decided to name it Bethlehem. So that we, and everyone who came to live here, would always remember the son of God”

Jesus saw the remarkable change in Martha, as she kept looking down. Moving her feet and wriggling her toes. She was smiling and nodding her head “Truly a Miracle” She said “A miracle from God” She felt happier now than she’d been for a long time.

She remembered the day that her dear husband Donald, had been taken. She had relied on him for most things. She had at that time wonder if there was a God. She had loved Donald, so when he died, she almost lost her faith. He was only fifty when he had passed on. As the day wore on, the light began to fade. Long shadows reached out across the square between the houses.

Martha roused herself and said “You can sleep on the porch, Lord. There is a folding bed for you. And Mary can sleep in the spare room”
She turned to them both as she said. “I hope you will be comfortable lord, it’s the best I can do for you both” Martha stared out at the other houses across the square, with a faraway look in her eyes “Tomorrow we will start to make arrangements for the biggest day in our lives. To remember our Lord’s crucifixion”.



Continued in Chapter Three...

(Note that this story is continued in additional chapters published on Storystar in later installments. Please look for them in the link below to other stories by this author. Thank you.)

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